Ansari files nomination for vice presidential contest

New Delhi - 18 July 2012 (IANS): Hamid Ansari Wednesday filed his nomination papers for being re-elected as vice president in the presence of senior United Progressive Alliance leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The nominations were handed over to Lok Sabha Secretary General T. K. Viswanathan, who is returning officer for Aug 7 vice presidential polls.

Among those present in parliament during the filing of the nomination were Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party's Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Lalu Prasad, Bahujan Samaj Party's Satish Misra, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, DMK's T.R. Baalu and Lok Janshakti Party's Ram Vilas Paswan.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was also present.